Re: Spots on valves


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Posted by John Swensen on July 08, 1999 at 14:00:11:

In Reply to: Spots on valves posted by Jim K on July 08, 1999 at 09:43:45:

Corrosion or oxidation of valve stems is very common, in my experience. For some reason, the thickness of the silver plating or lacquer always seems to be least on the valve stems than anywhere else. Even if there is no apparent wear in this area (nothing touches them during playing), they seem to lose their finish before anything else (it has happened to,
at least, three of my horns).

If you have a silver horn, some mild silver polish should remove the
tarnish. If your horn is lacquered, there is not much you could do, unless there is, actually, no lacquer, in which case a mild brass polish will take off the spots.

Rather than ask for new valve stems, you could have a instrument technician buff them
and spot lacquer them for you. Since they are separate from the rest of the horn, you don't need to worry about blending the new lacquer with the old.
A silversmith can also plate more silver onto the stems in about 5 minutes.


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